A Brief Survey through the Hebrew Scriptures Viewing the basic overall themes and different high points of the books from an ancient Near-Eastern and Christological approach. Dr. Gary Staats, Th.D.; Ph.D. transcribed by Keith Doyle and John Nimmiti edited by Martin Johnson Copyright © 2012 Dr. Gary Staats All Rights Reserved Table of Contents Acknowledgements ..............................................................................................................4 Twelve Periods of Old Testament History...........................................................................5 Christology in the Old Testament—seen through New Testament lenses ..........................7 Introduction ........................................................................................................................14 Torah – The Law ..............................................................................................................17 Authorship of the Pentateuch ........................................................................................27 Toledot of Genesis .........................................................................................................29 Pattern of Genesis 1-11 .................................................................................................31 Theme of the Promise ....................................................................................................33 Genesis ....................................................................................................................33 Ancient Near-Eastern Background of Genesis 1 and 2 .................................................42 Two Models in Genesis 1 and 2 ....................................................................................55 Temptation and the Fall of Man ....................................................................................58 Jesus Christ as the Second Adam ..................................................................................69 The Person and the Work of Christ Seen Typologically in the Torah ..........................73 Exodus .....................................................................................................................73 Leviticus ..................................................................................................................80 Numbers ..................................................................................................................86 Deuteronomy ...........................................................................................................89 Nevi’im – The Prophets ...................................................................................................96 The Former Prophets .....................................................................................................97 Joshua ......................................................................................................................97 Judges ....................................................................................................................102 1 and 2 Samuel ......................................................................................................109 1 and 2 Kings .........................................................................................................123 The Latter Prophets .....................................................................................................139 Isaiah .....................................................................................................................141 Jeremiah .................................................................................................................148 Ezekiel ...................................................................................................................156 The Twelve ............................................................................................................162 Hosea.................................................................................................................162 Joel ....................................................................................................................167 Amos .................................................................................................................170 Obadiah .............................................................................................................177 Jonah .................................................................................................................179 Micah ................................................................................................................184 Nahum ...............................................................................................................190 Habakkuk ..........................................................................................................195 Zephaniah ..........................................................................................................197 Haggai ...............................................................................................................203 Zechariah ...........................................................................................................208 Malachi .............................................................................................................218 2 Ketuvim – The Writings .................................................................................................223 Psalms ....................................................................................................................223 Proverbs .................................................................................................................228 Job .........................................................................................................................231 Song of Songs ........................................................................................................239 Ruth .......................................................................................................................243 Lamentations .........................................................................................................246 Ecclesiastes ............................................................................................................248 Esther .....................................................................................................................254 Daniel, Ezra-Nehemiah, Chronicles ......................................................................259 Ezra-Nehemiah ......................................................................................................259 1 and 2 Chronicles .................................................................................................264 Daniel ....................................................................................................................272 Outline of the Psalms .......................................................................................................280 Endnotes ...........................................................................................................................302 Bibliography ....................................................................................................................303 About the Author .............................................................................................................305 3 Acknowledgements I would like to thank my parents for instilling in me a love of the Bible from childhood. Thanks to Keith Doyle and John Nimmiti for their work in transcribing, and to Martin Johnson for his work in editing. They each have done wonderful work and have true servant hearts. Finally, and foremost, I want to thank my wife Janet for her unfailing encouragement, her infinite patience and kindness, and for her constant love and sharing in all of life and ministry . אֵשֵׁת־חַיִל with me. She is truly —Gary Staats 4 Twelve Periods of Old Testament History (Dates are approximate and in round numbers) I. Pre-Patriarchal History Period (5000+ - 2100 BC) Genesis 1-11 (beginnings) 1. Creation (1-2) 2. Fall (3-5) 3. Flood (6-9) 4. Tower of Babel (10-11) II. Patriarchal Period (2100-1840 BC) Genesis 12-50 (covenant of Abraham) 1. Abraham (12-25) 2. Isaac (26) 3. Jacob (27-36) 4. Joseph (37-50) III. Period of Israel in Egypt (1840-1440 BC) Exodus 1-12 (Call of Moses, Plagues, Passover) IV. Period of Exodus and Wilderness wandering (1440-1400 BC) Exodus 12 - Deuteronomy 1. Exodus 12-40 (Exodus, 10 commandments, law, tabernacle) 2. Leviticus (worship) 3. Numbers (wilderness wandering) 4. Deuteronomy (suzerainty treaty - God and Israel) V. Period of Entrance into Canaan (1400-1380 BC) Joshua (entrance into the land of Canaan) VI. Period of Judge (1380-1050 BC) 1. Judges (period of apostasy) 2. 1 Samuel 1-7 (last of judges - Samuel) 3. Ruth (kinsman-redeemer) VII. Period of United Kingdom (1050-931 BC) 1. Saul - 1 Samuel 7-31 (1050-1010 BC) (a failure as king) 2. David - 2 Samuel and Psalms of David (1010-970 BC) (David - a good king with failures; Davidic covenant; Psalms, Israel’s hymnal) 3. Solomon - 1 Kings 1-11 (970-931 BC) a. Song of Songs (a litany of marriage songs) b. Proverbs (wisdom maxims) c. Ecclesiastes (vanity of vanities) 5 VIII. Period of Divided Kingdom (931-722 BC) Assyrian Captivity (722 BC) — Background 1. Joel (Locust Book) — 2 Kings 12 2. Jonah (God’s